Trees | Wondermondo Here are selected some of the most impressive and interesting separate trees of the the world. Circumference and diameter, if not stated otherwise, is measured at the narrowest place of trunk up to the 1.3 - 1.4 m height. Africa Bois dentelle - Mauritius. Elaeocarpus bojeri (R.E. Vaughan) represented in the wild by just two trees. Tree has beautiful bell-formed white flowers. Café marron - Rodrigues. The only specimen of Ramosmania rodriguesii (Tirveng. & Verdc.) in the wild, discovered in 1980. Drago Milenario - Spain, Canary Islands, Tenerife. Most famous dragon tree (Dracaena draco (L.) L.), a giant tree with a girth of 17.4 m and height of 16.4 m. Encephalartos aemulans - South Africa, Natal. Just two trees 10 km away from each other, on a single hill in northern Natal. Encephalartos woodii (Sander) - South Africa, Natal.

This treelike cycad does not exist in the wild anymore. Just few male specimens were seen in the late 19th century - early 20th century. Since then this plant grows in several plant nurseries. Glencoe Baobab - South Africa, Limpopo Province. Up to recent time - the stoutest baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) and stoutest tree in world. Diameter was 15.9 m, circumference - 46.6 m, height 16 m. In November 2009 split into two parts. Encephalartos woodii in Santa Barbara, USA / sarcozona , Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 Reakaly baobab (Ampanihy baobab) - Madagascar, Atsimo-Andrefana. Stoutest baobab Adansonia za (Baill.), girth 23 m (plaque at the tree says that 27 m). Largest tree in Madagascar. Sagole Tree - South Africa, Limpopo Province. The largest tree in South Africa.

This giant Adansonia digitata has a circumference of 33.72 m and height - 22 m. The Cotton Tree - Sierra Leone, Freetown. Ceiba pentandra, symbol of the city, found growing in the town centre in 1792 when here came freed slaves from United States. Girth over 12 m. Site for offering prayers for peace and prosperity. Asia / crwjdt , Flickr / CC BY 2.0 Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Fig Tree) - Sri Lanka, North Central Province. Oldest known human planted tree (Ficus religiosa L.), planted 288 BC from a sapling of Bodhi tree where Buddha became enlightened. Girth of tree changed due to additional trunks grown together with the original one. Kamou no Ohkusu - Japan, Kyushu. Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J.Presl.) with a circumference of 24.2 m. Tree is some 30 m high, with estimated age of 1,5 thousand years.

Pakari Brikshya (Pakad, Falakasha, Devdaha banyan) - Nepal, Lumbini. Enormous, beautiful weeping fig (Ficus benjamina). Circumference of its trunk is approximately 25 m, height - approximately 30 m but the width of crown - some 150 m. Sarv-e-Abarqu - Iran, Yazd. Oldest known individual tree in Asia, second oldest species of tree in world - more than 4,000 years old cypress (most likely Cupressus sempervirens L.). Age not proved. Beautiful, proportional tree, with a height of 25 m, circumference of trunk is 11.5 m. The Great Banyan - India, West Bengal, Kolkata. Belongs to trees with largest canopy. This Ficus benghalensis L. is considered to be some 200 - 250 years old, area of canopy - 1.5 hectares, circumference of canopy - 1 kilometre. Height up to 25 metres, contains some 2,880 aerial roots rooted in soil.

Thimmamma Marrimanu - India, Andhra Pradesh. World's largest known single tree if measured by the area of its crown. Canopy of this banyan (Ficus benghalensis L.) covers 19,107 m². Tnjri (Skhtorashen Tree) - Azerbaijan, Yukhari-Karabakh. Giant Platanus orientalis tree, more than 2,000 years old, with a circumference of 27 m, 54 m tall. Tree of Life - Bahrain. Approximately 400 years old mesquite (Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce) growing in a place devoid of water. Australia and Oceania / Amanda Slater , Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 Other parts of Australia Giant Tingle Tree ("Hollow trunk") - Australia, Western Australia. Stoutest red tingle (Eucalyptus jacksonii), girth 22.3 m, 30 m high. Moreton Bay Fig in Bellingen - Australia, New South Wales. (Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers.), girth 29 m, 50 m high.

Whitelaw Tree - Australia, Victoria. Largest (and also stoutest) shining gum (Eucalyptus nitens H.Deane & Maiden). 57.5 m high, girth 14.9 m, volume 200 m³. Other countries of Oceania / Phillip Capper , Flickr / CC BY 2.0 Banyan trees of Tanna - Vanuatu, Tafea, Tanna island. Many historical villages of Tanna island have giant banyan trees which are located in the centre of local culture - dancing place (nasara). Diameter of such trees reportedly reaches 50 m. Banyan in Lomteuheakal has approximate trunk circumference of 26 m. Banyan of Yakel village has a house built on top - this house is used for circumcision of local boys. Kaluas is considered by locals to be the largest banyan tree in the world. Tree is extremely large, unfortunately no data about its size found. Klinki in Bulolo Valley - Papua New Guinea, Morobe.

Reported (but not verified) 88.9 m high specimen of Klinki Araucaria hunsteinii (K.Schumann 1889) in 1941. These trees are very tall and there is high probability to discover very tall specimens today as well. Pennantia baylisiana - New Zealand, Great Island, Three Kings Islands. The only known specimen of (Pennantia baylisiana (W. Oliver) Baylis) in wild. Taketakerau (Puriri in Opotiki) - New Zealand, Bay of Plenty. The largest puriri (Vitex lucens), with a circumference of 21.3 m, height 20 m. Sacred tree, supposedly more than 2,000 years old. Burials inside its hollow have been found. Tāne Mahuta - New Zealand, Northland. Largest contemporary kauri (Agathis australis (D.Don) Loudon), volume 255 m³. Girth 13.77 m, height 45.2 m. Reports of larger trees in the forest.

Te Matua Ngahere - New Zealand, Northland. Stoutest contemporary kauri (Agathis australis (D.Don) Loudon). Girth 16.76 m, height 37.4 m. Europe Old Tjikko - Sweden, Dalarna. The oldest living clonal tree (Picea abies (L.) H.Karst.) in the world - its root system is at least 9,550 years old, while the tree above the soil is much younger. Starkste Ecke im Ivenack - Germany, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Most impressive oak (Quercus robur L.) in Europe and the largest oak in Germany, 33 m high, circumference 11.25 m. The largest one in a group of 5 enormous oaks. Stirton's Whitebeam (Sorbus stirtoniana T. G. C. Rich.) - United Kingdom, Wales, Montgomeryshire. This tree is known only from one specimen and discovered in February 2009. Included here to show that there are discovered new tree species even in Western Europe.

North America / Miguel Vieira , Wikimedia Commons, public domain. California Boole Tree - United States, California. Giant sequoia (S. giganteum (Lindl.)) of enormous size. Height 81.9 m, girth at the breast height 24.3 m, volume 1,203 m³. Carmanah Giant - Canada, British Columbia. One of the largest Sitka spruces (Picea sitchensis (Bong) Carr.), 95.7 m high, diameter 3.66 m. Daisy Spruce - United States, California. Second highest Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong) Carr.), 96.6 m high. Devil's Canyon Colossus - United States, California. Largest incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens ((Torrey) Florin), volume 223 m³. 50.3 m high, diameter 3.78 m. Dorrington sugar pine - United States, California. Largest sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Douglas).

Volume 255 m³, diameter 3.53 m, height 66.1 m. General Grant Tree - United States, California. Giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.)), second largest tree in the world. Height 81.5 m, girth at the breast height 27.8 m, volume 1,320 m³. This beautiful tree is declared as a National Shrine, memorial to those who died in war. General Sherman - United States, California. Giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.) J.Buchh.), the largest tree of the world by volume. Volume 1,487 m³. Height 83.8 m, girth at the breast height 25.9 m. Believed to be 2,300 - 2,700 years old. Largest tree in the world - General Sherman, California, United States / Chris M. , Flickr / CC BY 2.0 Hyperion - United States, California.

Tallest announced tree in the world (there are known taller ones), coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.). 115.66 m tall, diameter 4.63 m. Contains 502 m3 of wood. In total more than 500 coast redwoods exceed height of 103 m. Lost Monarch - United States, California. Largest coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.) in the world. Volume 1,206 m³. Height 97.84 m, circumference 24.13 m (includes multiple trunks). Methuselah - United States, California. Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva D.K.Bailey). Oldest known individual tree in world, 4,844 years old. Raven's Tower - United States, California. Reportedly tallest Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong) Carr.), 96.7 m high. Tallest Giant Sequoia in Converse Basin - United States, California, Converse Basin.

Tallest giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.)), 95.8 m high. The Chandelier Tree - United States, California. Enormous coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.) with large 1.83 x 2.64 m hole carved in the 1930s - car can drive through it. Height of the tree - 96 m. Doerner Fir in United States, Oregon / US Bureau of Land Management, public domain. Other states of United States Doerner Fir (Brummet Fir) - United States, Oregon. Tallest coast Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) in the world. Height 99.8 m, diameter 3.54 m, volume 237 m³. Some time ago the tree was 100.3 m high. Noble fir in Goat Marsh - United States, Washington. Highest known specimen in species (Abies procera Rehder 1940), height 89.9 m. Tree is dead now.

Pando - United States, Utah. Enormous clonal colony of single tree - Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). Multiple trees covering area of 43 hectares with some 47,000 stems, all forming an single organism with a common root system. Total weight of Pando - 6,615 tons. Existence of larger clonal colonies highly possible. Queets River Spruce - United States, Washington. Largest Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis ((Bongard) Carr.) in the world. Volume 337 m³. 75.6 m high, diameter 4.55 m. Quinault Lake Red Cedar - United States, Washington. Largest specimen in species (Thuja plicata Donn ex D.Don). Volume 500 m³, including the hollowed middle. 55 m high, diameter 6.04 m. / Gengiskanhg, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0 Other countries of North America Árbol del Tule - Mexico, Oaxaca.

One of the stoutest trees on Earth, Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum Ten., 1853). Girth 36.2 m, diameter 11.62 m, height 35.4 m. Discounting the buttresses of trunk the diameter - 9.38 m. Volume 750 m³. Age estimated to be 1,400 - 1,600 years. Sacred Zapotec tree. Red Creek Fir - Canada, British Columbia. Largest coast Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) in the world. Trunk volume 349 m³, height 73.8 m, diameter 4.23 m. South America / Diego Andrés Alvarez Marín , Wikimedia Commons. CC-BY-SA-3.0 Alerce - Chile. Oldest known living alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides I.M.Johnst.) was 3,622 years old - this tree was felled.

Alerce Milenario in Monumento Alerce Costero in Chile, Los Ríos is 3,260 years old. Dendroseris neriifolia ((Dcne.) H. & A.) - Chile, Juan Fernández archipelago, Robinson Crusoe Island. Only two specimens of this tree found in wild. Dendroseris gigantea - Alejandro Selkirk Island, Juan Fernández archipelago, Chile. Only one tree is found in the wild. Wax palms of Cocora Valley - Colombia, Quindío. The highest palms Ceroxylon quindiuense (Karsten) in the world. Although the measured height is 43 metres, it is told that these extremely slender palms can reach a height of 60 m, some sources mention even 80 m! This palm grows in mountains up to 3,500 m high - this also is a record for palms. Giant trees of the past Over the last centuries people have been eager to cut forest and especially - large trees. None has doubts that in this way there have been lost many largest trees of the world.

Unfortunately even at the beginning of the 20th century these measurements in most cases were of dubious quality and most of data are not trustable. Below are listed some of the interesting and large trees from the recent past. Don't trust too much some of the figures: Lindsey creek tree is the largest known single organism in world. This coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.) was uprooted by a storm in 1905. Trunk volume of this tree was at least 2,550 m³. Enormous coast Douglas fir in 1900, Washington. 9 feet diameter / From brochure "Seattle and the Orient" A Coast Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) cut down in 1897 at Loop's Ranch, Washington (United States) was reported to have measured 142 m in height. The Fergusson Tree (Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell.) in Victoria, Australia was 132.6 m high. It was cut down in 1871 or 1872.

It is possible that the measurement was not exact. Exactly measured maximumt height for eucalypts is 114.3 m (Cornthwaite Tree, Victoria, Australia). Unfortunately this tree was also felled in 1881. God's Valley Spruce (Oregon, United States) had enormous trunk - its diameter was 7.32 m. There are pictures of western red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D.Don) with a diameter up to 6.71 m. Chestnut Tree of One Hundred Horses, Sicily. Charles Darwin reports that he found a specimen of alerce Fitzroya cupressoides (I.M.Johnst.) in Chile with a diameter 12.6 m (circumference roughly 39.6 m). This is unusual as the largest specimens of this beautiful tree are much smaller nowadays - it seems possible that here is confused girth and diameter. But there has been proven that Fitzroya can live up to 3,622 years long making it the second oldest tree species. L'Arbre du Ténéré in 1939, Niger. Once the loneliest tree in the world.

Chestnut Tree of One Hundred Horses - Sicily, Italy. Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.). Once the stoutest tree in world - in 1780 measured circumference was 57.9 m. Now split in three stems, still growing. Considered to be 2,000 - 4,000 years old. L'Arbre du Ténéré once was the loneliest and most isolated tree in the world. This Acacia sp. was located in north-east Niger and there was no other tree closer than 200 kilometres from it. Tree died in 1973. Other articles about trees List of described trees - list and map of trees described in Wondermondo. Table is sortable by the parameters of trees. Stoutest trees of the world - unique list of world's stoutest trees (by species). Circumference of trees in this list exceeds 14 m and currently there are listed more than 50 species! Tallest trees of the world - unique list of world's tallest trees (by species). Height of these trees exceeds 80 m and currently it includes more than 15 species.

This category includes the largest and most unusual trees of the world. Criteria Trees for most part are perennial woody plants who have one main trunk and considerable size. There is no minimum size for a tree agreed and imagination is applied to some degree when distinguishing between shrubs and trees. Largest trees - species Out of 10 existing plant divisions six include trees. Total number of tree species in the world still is a wild guess - may be 10,000 and may be 100,000 but most likely somewhere in between. Every month there are reported new tree species from the whole world, including the Western Europe. The largest trees belong to a comparatively small division - conifers (Pinophyta). Approximately half of the large and outstanding trees listed here are conifers. Conifers are the highest, largest and oldest trees in the world, conifer is also the second stoutest tree in the world.

Most impressive conifers and trees in general are two species of subfamily Sequoioideae belonging to Cupress family (Cupressaceae): giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.) J.Buchh.) and coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.). Both trees grow along the western coast of United States. Giant sequoia is the largest tree on Earth by volume, fifth largest by the height and third stoutest. Coast redwood is second largest by the volume, the highest tree on Earth and fourth stoutest. Several more conifers have exceptional size - such as Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum Ten., 1853) - third largest by the volume and second stoutest in the world, also coast Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) - seventh largest by the volume, third tallest and the 45th stoutest.

Second largest eucalypt - Arve Big Tree, Australia / puzzlement , Flickr / CC BY 2.0 Next group of exceptionally large trees belongs to flower plants - these are eucalypts (Eucalyptus) belonging to myrtle family (Myrtaceae). Out of more than 700 species in this genus five exceed height of 85 metres, five exceed trunk volume of 200 m³ and eight exceed girth of 14 metres. Stoutest tree of the world most likely is balete tree (Ficus balete Merr. or Ficus benjamina). It seems that there is not a very high probability that some other species of trees can take over the record for volume, height or stoutness. But further investigations can change the list of the ten largest trees in each category significantly. Largest trees - locations Chandelier Tree, California. / Bobak Ha'Eri, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-2.5 . Nowadays there are two regions in the world with pronounced tree gigantism - coastal California, Washington and Oregon (United States) and Tasmania (Australia).

Out of ten records regarding the trunk volume, height and stoutness in California, Washington and Oregon there are registered 9 records and in Tasmania - 8. This can be explained by the fact that both these regions of world really have giant trees and these magnificent monuments of nature have rised large interest. Many enthusiasts have searched champion trees in these regions and performed exact measurements to prove their findings. Other champion trees are located in diverse regions of the world - Madagascar, South Africa, Mexico, and so forth. Author recognises that lists here are far from being complete and here might be missing numerous great trees already well known in their respective localities. Some notes on measurements and records Age / Anauxite , Flickr / CC BY 2.0 I am glad to announce that trees increasingly rare are "measured" by their imaginary age. It was not that long ago that tourist booklets announced that some tree is that and that many thousand years old and local people were virtually ready to fight to prove that their oak or cypress is exactly that old. Scientific justification? None! Just hundreds of tourist booklets and even some people with scientific degree repeating this mysterious figure once and again.

Happily more and more people realise that the size of the tree tells little about its age. Nowadays naming such imaginary age of the tree is rather a sign of provinciality. In practice the age of the tree can be determined just in some cases, when the tree rings are well visible and the core of the tree is not hollowed, or when the date of tree planting is known with confidence. Nowadays more and more attention is turned to measurable values - volume of trunk, height, diameter, girth (also going out of trend), crown projection. Also here mistakes and uncertainties are common. Girth and diameter Very often the girth is mingled with the diameter in favour of "increasing" the tree. Very often the tree is measured at soil level - of course, thus getting pretty impressive number. In such cases the height of measurement is not mentioned - thus, if you hear about English oak with 25 metres girth without further explanations - most likely it is measured at soil level and has a girth of some 9 - 10 metres at 1.3 metre height.

Measurement should be made at the narrowest place between the soil and 1.3 - 1.4 metres height, athwart to the tree stem. If the tree stands on slope - measurement is made uphill. Large trees often have large buttresses and then a girth includes lots of empty air, not tree. Due to this more correct figure is average diameter of the tree. Of course, it takes some effort to calculate it. Height Height of the trees is hard to measure. For most part it is done by climbing the tree and measuring it. Being at shaky summit of giant tree at the height of 20-floor building is not for everyone - in fact very few in the world do this. Often the last metres of summit are not measured - it is too risky - and are not included in the height of tree. Another approach is using modern remote sensing technologies, such as LIDAR. Thus, for example, second tallest known species of trees in world - mountain ash or swamp gum named Centurion in Tasmania - was found and measured. This tree is 99.8 metres high - second highest tree species in the world. We can be sure that there are numerous very high trees in the world waiting to be discovered.

Very tall trees grow in ravines and deep valleys, well protected from winds. Thus several tree enthusiasts from Alaska Pacific University found 8 species of trees exceeding 80 metre height in an area of 2 km³ in Sarawak, Malaysia in January - February 2007. Volume Volume seems to be the best value to measure the size of a tree. But it pretty hard to calculate and there is a lot of ways to do it wrong. The volume of the main trunk is measured and compared most often. Great Banyan, India. Main trunk has died but thousands of aerial roots remain / murky / Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0 To do this there is determined diameter of the tree at different heights, height of the tree and then calculated the volume. Roots and branches are not included, hollows are included. This is fairly easy to do for many conifers who have one top. Measuring the volume for many other trees which have complex canopy might be too hard.

h2g2 - The Ten Biggest South African Tree Species - Edited Entry To The Galaxy Earth Edition The Ten Biggest South African Tree Species Content from the guide to life, the universe and everything The Ten Biggest South African Tree Species Created 0 Conversations This is actually rather a difficult selection to make. It is not as straightforward as it might seem to say just how 'big' an individual tree is. The height is not the only criterion; some kinds of tree are very tall and slender, but by contrast, others are not very tall, but grow enormously thick. In addition, others have canopies that spread very wide, and have a very heavy mass of leaves. In judging 'bigness', factors like height, canopy spread, trunk girth, and overall mass must all be taken into consideration. It is also the case that, in any tree species, we do not always know just how big individuals of that species can become. This is especially true of rare species. With the sneezewood (Ptaeroxylon obliquum), for example, most individual specimens are average-sized, about ten metres in height, but occasionally there will be an individual that is much, much bigger.

In South Africa this happens frequently; most of the country is semi-desert or dry savannah, with infrequent rainfall , lots of browsing mammals, and frequent fires, and the trees growing in this habitat are relatively stunted. Trees from the same species can grow very much bigger when they get more water , and are protected against fires and browsers, so we cannot always say how big a species might grow. A tree guide might state that a species grows to a height of five to ten metres, because botanists have observed that pretty nearly all mature individuals of the species fall within this range, but in some remote canyon somewhere, where no botanist has yet been, there may be an individual that is 20 or 30 metres tall. There are indeed specimens of some species in remote locations that are well beyond the limits stated in botanical guides. On the other hand, there is also the factor of exaggeration; it's difficult to know just whose figures to trust. Many people are not very good at observing and estimating factors such as height and girth. They will look at a tree and say it is 30 or 40 metres tall, when in truth, its height is only about ten metres.

A truly big tree is so impressive and imposing, that people who see it might want to believe that it is much bigger than it actually is. Even a writer of reputation such as Eugène Marais has fallen into the temptation of ridiculously exaggerating the size of trees, so as to claim that the biggest trees in the world belonged to South Africa. The true height of a tree can usually only be accurately determined by rigorous measurement , using trigonometric techniques. Similarly, the trunk girth or circumference needs to be measured to be valid. It should be measured at breast height, or about 1.3 - 1.5 metres from the ground. Any non-rigorous claims for tree size have to be disregarded. In general, South African native trees are relatively small. Much of the country consists of desert, succulent or shrubby semi-desert, and almost treeless grassland. The rest consists mostly of savannah, with small trees dotted here and there amidst the grass, and most of the trees here are less than five metres tall.

Some areas of 'dwarf savannah' have miniature trees less than two metres tall, but this is largely due to factors such as excessive browsing by domestic goats and the removal by humans of large trees for firewood, not to mention bush fires. In more protected areas, savannah trees can reach and exceed 20 metres in height – especially if they are growing on the banks of rivers . In forests, the tree canopy can be 10-20 metres in height, with some individual trees exceeding this. All in all, a South African tree can be considered 'tall' if it exceeds 20 metres. In terms of thickness, a tree can be considered very thick if it has a trunk approaching or exceeding 1.8 metres (six feet) in diameter. A tree of this thickness will need at least three large men to encircle it, with their arms spread as wide as possible and their fingers just touching. Bearing in mind these constraints and the unavoidable subjectivity involved, here's a list of the ten biggest tree species of South Africa 1 . 1. The Baobab, Adansonia Digitata This tree is in first place because of its potential for overall mass: girth, spread and height combined.

The baobab never becomes very tall, seldom exceeding 20 metres in height, but it can become extremely fat with a massive trunk and branches. The biggest baobab in South Africa is only 22 metres in height, but has a trunk that is 10.47 metres in diameter. It has a crown that is 38.2 metres in width. It is therefore almost twice as broad as it is tall! There is another baobab that is shorter, being only 17 metres in height, but having a trunk an incredible 15.9 metres thick! Its crown spreads to 37 metres in width. There are many other individual baobabs that approach or exceed 10 metres in trunk thickness. These trees have the greatest potential for hugeness if allowed to live very long, but how long can they live? In 2007, the biggest baobab in South Africa was officially determined to be about 2,000 years old, and many others may exceed 1,000 years. Baobab wood is very soft and doesn't form growth rings, so the age needs to be determined by taking carbon-14 readings.

The baobab grows in warm, dry savannah regions, mainly in the far north of South Africa (and up into the drier parts of tropical Africa), where it is by far the biggest tree. Other trees growing alongside it are mopane (Colophospermum mopane), blue hook thorn (Acacia erubescens), white syringa (Kirkia acuminata), sjambok pod (Cassia abbreviata), sesame bush (Sesamothamnus lugardii), and several species of corkwood (Commiphora). 2. The Outeniqua Yellowwood, Podocarpus Falcatus This tree can become very tall, and also develops quite a thick trunk and a broad, deep, dense crown. In terms of massiveness, these can be very imposing, but it's difficult to say just how big the tree can become. So many of them have been cut down, having excellent wood, but in the old days, when they cut them down, they didn't always measure them accurately. It is said that there used to be trees of up to 60 metres in height, yet today, the biggest known specimens are less than 40 metres tall.

Even so, these individuals are incredibly impressive. In terms of overall mass, they must come fairly close to the huge baobabs, because of their huge and dense crowns. The wood is also much denser and heavier than that of the baobab. The two biggest Outeniqua yellowwoods currently recognised in South Africa are 39 and 36 metres tall, with trunks 2.22 and 1.88 metres thick, and crown diameters of 29.6 metres and 33.6 metres across, respectively. Because of the excellence of its timber, many of the largest Outeniqua yellowwoods have been cut down. There may be specimens bigger than these 'official' champions in some remote ravines, where woodcutters haven't yet been able to get to them. Their inaccessibility will also have made these difficult for botanists to discover, too. The Outeniqua yellowwood is in second place for the reasons of both its actual and potential size. 3. The Common Cluster Fig, Ficus Sycomorus This tree can become amazingly huge. Its trunk doesn't grow very tall and straight, but spreads outwards into a vast dense crown of long, sturdy branches.

At the bottom, it spreads out into huge flaring buttress roots, often snaking out over the ground for many metres from the central trunk. These trees mostly grow along rivers in warm savannah regions; many superb specimens can be seen along the Limpopo and Pafuri rivers. The champion common cluster fig grows near Polokwane/Pietersburg, and stands 25 metres tall, with a trunk 3.9 metres thick and a crown spreading to an incredible 45.7 metres in width. There are many other specimens exceeding 20 metres in height and 30 metres in crown width. The cluster fig is also made impressively conspicuous by its yellowish to yellow-green bark. This is similar to that of the fever tree (Acacia xhanthophloea), that also grows along tropical and subtropical rivers. The cluster fig is a favourite of animals and birds, bearing its large figs in generous quantities pretty much throughout the year. These fig trees are always bustling with noise and activity. 4. The Matumi, Breonadia Salicina This tree usually develops a massive tall and straight trunk.

It makes excellent timber – heavy, hard and fine-grained – and again, many of the really big specimens have been cut down. The biggest one remaining is 41 metres tall, with a trunk 2.44 metres thick. Its crown spreads to 32.3 metres in width. There are many others still standing which approach or exceed 40 metres. They grow in warm, moist forests as well as on subtropical riverbanks. The Matumi is more of an upright, straight and narrow kind of tree. This shape is enhanced by its long, narrow lancehead-shaped leaves that usually hang downwards. Despite the comparative narrowness of its crown, it counts as a 'big tree' because of the volume of its trunk, which rises almost to the top without any significant narrowing. 5. The Wonderboom Fig, Ficus Salicifolia This one makes the list because of a freak individual. This ancient tree stands in the city of Pretoria and a whole suburb is named after it. Even long ago, this was a big tree with very long branches. Some of the branches eventually drooped under their own weight and reached the ground.

There, these branches sprouted roots (many of the wild fig trees can easily produce new roots on their trunks and branches) and became new 'trunks', supporting new branches that spread out and drooped and rooted even further away. So, a large group of 'secondary' trunks have grown around the central trunk. Eventually, the central trunk died, leaving the secondary trunks seemingly disconnected, however they are all part of a single 'complex' individual. This 'complex' is currently 22 metres tall and 53.3 metres wide, and in terms of total mass might rival even the huge baobabs. No other individual of this species comes close to the original Wonderboom, or 'wonder tree', but the existence of this one individual shows that the species does indeed have the potential for greatness. Under optimal circumstances even single trees of this species can exceed 20 metres in height and spread, and have a trunk over two metres thick. 6. The Monkey Thorn, Acacia Galpinii These beautiful thorn trees line the banks of many of the larger rivers in the far north of South Africa. They qualify as huge in height, thickness, and canopy spread.

The largest recorded individual stands 30 metres tall, with a trunk three metres thick and a canopy spreading to 35.1 metres. This thorn tree species is quite common, and there are many outstanding specimens still standing in the wild. Sadly, some of the best ones are due to be submerged beneath a new artificial lake in Sekukuniland, but the species itself is in no danger. A very large number of trees have been planted along streets and in gardens , where they grow fast, and rapidly become very big. In fact, this is rather a concern: this tree grows so strongly that it can endanger the nearby roads and buildings. 7. The Ana Tree, Faidherbia Albida This species is related to the thorn trees; it too grows along rivers in the north of South Africa. The biggest known living specimen stands 36 metres tall, with a trunk 1.78 metres thick and a crown 36.2 metres wide. This is the species that was so ridiculously exaggerated by Eugène Marais.

About a century ago, he made the claim that he measured trees as being over 60 metres in above-ground height with an additional 60 metres of trunk submerged beneath drift-sand piled up over many years by the river, giving a total height of 120 metres! The trees for which he made this claim have long since disappeared, and, based on trees measured recently, his claims would appear to be exceedingly unlikely. Nevertheless, living Ana trees are still among the largest in the country. Ana trees are rapid-growing under optimal conditions - deep soil with good drainage, a hot climate, and moderate water. They initially grow rapidly tall, staying rather narrow, but later in life the trunk starts to thicken and the canopy starts to spread. They can probably live for a few centuries; there are some Ana trees in the Potgietersrus/Mokopane area under which David Livingstone is said to have rested. 8. The Red Stinkwood, Prunus Africana This species occurs in forests, and, since less than 1% of South Africa is forested, it is rather rare. The bark smells of bitter almonds when newly crushed, and it has medicinal uses now recognised by the international pharmaceutical industry.

When left alone, this tree can become very tall: the biggest specimen stands 40 metres tall with a trunk 1.83 metres thick. The red stinkwood is in the same genus as the well-known peach (Prunus persica) and cherry (Prunus avium, P. cerasus) trees of more northern climes. The 'African' Prunus is widespread in the forests of tropical Africa, and also occurs in Madagascar. 9. The White Stinkwood, Celtis Africana The champion white stinkwood is stated as standing at 39 metres tall, with a spread of 19.7 metres and a trunk girth of 5.05 metres. This would make this individual one of the thickest trees in the country, freak baobab specimens excepted. In general, individuals range from small to medium-sized trees in savannah and thicket, to giants growing in moist ravine forests. White stinkwoods are very beautiful trees. Under optimal conditions - deep, fertile soil, lots of water in summer, and mild to warm temperatures - they grow fast. Many of them are planted in cities and gardens in South Africa.

They are somewhat less aggressive growers than most of the other big trees in this list, and are less likely to pose a danger to roads and buildings. 10. The Sneezewood, Ptaeroxylon Obliquum This species is widespread in South Africa, occurring in a variety of different habitats, from dry open woodland and savannah to moist forests. In dry areas they rarely exceed 10 metres in height, but in forests they can become huge. A sneezewood growing in the Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve in the Limpopo Province holds the record for being the tallest indigenous South African tree: it stands 45 metres tall, with a rather slender trunk girth of 1.29 metres and a crown 22.7 metres wide. The sneezewood is another very attractive tree species that does well in suburban gardens and city parks . It can tolerate much drought, but also takes advantage of good watering. It has attractively-divided bluish-green leaves and a 'spicy’ smell that can be noticed from quite a distance. Record Breakers?

Apart from those mentioned here, there are many other South African species that can also become very big; after all, there are over 1,000 tree species growing there. Many of them are very poorly known or very rare, with most individuals growing under harsh conditions. It would be a worthwhile project to try and plant many individuals of as many South African native tree species as possible, in a large number of different places and conditions, so as to discover the optimal habitat for each species. Then, planting large numbers under these optimal conditions, and taking excellent care of them for as long as necessary, would prove how big they really can become. Such a project might significantly improve an understanding of the potential size of South African trees, not to mention helping with the conservation of the superlative botanic diversity of the country. Compared with other countries, South Africa cannot claim to have the biggest or the most impressive trees in the world. The only one that stands out internationally is the baobab. Under optimal conditions and given enough time, these can certainly become some of the thickest trees in the world, but that species is shared with many other African countries, and there are some great baobabs in Madagascar as well.

As for height, the sneezewood (mentioned above) is the tallest known indigenous tree in South Africa, but at only 45 metres, this cannot rival the tallest trees in the world: the coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) of the western coast of North America; the douglas fir (Pseudutsuga menziesii), also of the western regions of the USA and Canada ; and the mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans), of Australia . These species can all exceed 100 metres in height, and could possibly reach even 120-140 metres. The most massive trees in the world are the giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) of California, some species being over 80 metres tall, while also having trunks over seven metres thick. The banyan figs (Ficus bengalensis) of Asia might also be champions in overall mass. This is another kind of 'compound' tree similar to South Africa's Wonderboom, except that the Asian species can develop hundreds of subsidiary trunks from roots dropping down from the branches.

The largest known individual has over a thousand trunks and its canopy spreads over about 1.6 hectares, making it more than 100 metres in width! So, South Africa's trees are nowhere near record-breakers. But her biggest trees are still her biggest trees, and should be cherished for what they are! Wherever you are in the world, dear Reader, learn about your country's native plants, and be proud of them! 1 The statistics given here are taken from the book 'Remarkable Trees of South Africa' by Neels Esterhuyse, Jutta von Breitenbach, and Hermien Söhnge (Briza Publications, 2001). Largest Trees By Girth Size Largest Trees By Girth Size By: aupoet 22-Dec-2010 Introduction: Determining which are the biggest trees means accepting a standard to measuring them. A tree's girth is measured at breast height which is generally taken at between 1.3 to 1.5 m (49 to 55 inches) from the ground. The girth is measured as the distance around the trunk of the tree. Here is a list of the largest trees in the world alive today.

01 African Baobab (Adansonia Digitata) These large African trees can have trunks measuring up to 52 ft. in circumference. They store water in these large trunks as they often are found in drought ridden areas. Common throughout sub-sahara Africa, the Baobab in known as the tree of life due to its nutritious fruit and its life giving water. 02 Montezuma Cypress (Taxodium Mucronatum) The National tree of Mexico, the Montezuma Cypress can have a trunk measurement of 38.1 ft.(11.6 m). They are also very long lived with some specimens being over 2000 years old. One of the oldest and largest of these conifers is located in Santa Maria del Tule, Oaxaca, Mexico. 03 Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron Giganteum) The Giant Sequoia can have a trunk size of up to 29 ft.(8.9 m. in circumference. Naturally found only along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada in some 75 groves, Giant Sequoias are some of the largest and fastest growing trees in the world.

The General Grant tree found in the General Grant Grove of California, is considered the largest specimen of this species. 04 Coast Redwood (Sequoia Sempervirens) Growing along the Pacific Coast of North America these tall giants can have a trunk measuring upto 25.9 ft.(7.9m) in circumference. Some of these trees are the tallest trees in the world. The Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park of California, is where the specimen know as the "Lost Monarch" can be found. It has the largest trunk size for the species. 05 Australian Oak (Eucalyptus Obliqua) Not a true Oak, but rather a type of Eucalyptus, the Australian Oak can have a trunk circumference of upto 22 ft.(6.7 m). Found in south eastern Australia, it is an important timber tree because of it hardwood that is used for construction and as a pulp wood.

Question: What is the largest species of tree, in terms of height and trunk girth?
Answer: Giant Sequoia